


Fantastical Humans

by New_Blue_Stuff



Category: Oscar's Hotel for Fantastical Creatures, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meta, Swearing, non-canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 21:31:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6583312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/New_Blue_Stuff/pseuds/New_Blue_Stuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The problem is that humans shouldn't be able to get into the hotel at all, especially not one as curious and bizarre as Pj.</p><p>Oliver doesn't know what to do when he finds out Pj is human, and keeps him in the hotel. The next few days of companionship change Oliver forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fantastical Humans

The bell rings twice in quick succession.

Oliver fakes a smile. He turns around.

'How can I-Wiggles?' Oliver's eyes widen. His face molds into it's usual frown. 'Why are you out of costume?'

Wiggle's familiar green eyes squint at him, head tilted to the side.

'What costume?' Wiggles asks, his voice vacant of accent. Wiggles lifts a single eyebrow. 

There’s s a scream from upstairs.

'I TOLD YOU. I'LL COMING IN A MINUTE OLIVER. I'M NOT A CLOWN TAP, I'M NOT CLOWN ON DEMAND!'

Oliver looks up at the circular stairs. He can see Wiggles's head popping over the side of the banister.

There's a cough from the other side of the reception desk.

Oliver looks back at the-supposed-Wiggles.

'Do you have any room?' He asks, a nervous smile.

Oliver stares at him. If he's not Wiggles, and Oliver prays that Wiggles doesn't have a secret twin, then who is he? What is he? 

Oliver's mouth falls open. 'Yes...Of course...What sort of habitat would you like?'  

The man frowns. 'Just a regular room would suffice.'

Oliver is close to gaping. They only ever get boring room requests when the Dullhead brothers are visiting, who are booked in for later today, not now. 

Oliver selects the keys to one of the few regular rooms. The one absent key in that drawer belongs to Oliver, who makes his residence there.

'I don't want to intrude...' Oliver starts, the words clog his throat. 'But what are you?'

The man raises his eyebrow again.

'Depends on what you want to know. I tend to just go for human.' He replies slowly.  The man smiles. Oliver smiles back despite the unnerving turn this is taking.

The man outstretches a hand.

Oliver stares in complete disbelief. There’s wards on the hotel. What the hell’s going on? A human?

‘How _did_ you _get_ here? This _isn’t_ supposed to happen.’ Oliver’s hands start to pull at his hair. ‘I’m not _qualified_ to deal with this-’

‘-Is there a problem?’ The human interrupts. 

Oliver looks blankly at him, eyes continuing to be wide. He grits his teeth. 

‘There shouldn’t be...’ He looks from left to right. There’s no sign of Oscar.

‘Well...’ Pj starts, becoming slightly annoyed. 

Oliver looks back to him, and sighs. 

‘I guess I’ll get you a room? If you’re here, there’s clearly nothing stopping you.’ Oliver resigns. 

Pj snorts. ‘Okay?’  

Oliver ends up chuckling too. ‘I’m Oliver. Welcome to Oscar’s Hotel.’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The human is called Pj, an unusual name for it’s simplicity. 

'Uncle Oscar?...'

'Yes Oliver.'

Oscar's running around the reception. Their room orders have been increasingly bland since Pj turned up. Speaking of Pj...

'Is there any regulations against having humans stay here?'

Oscar turns to Oliver and frowns. 'We're both human, as far as I'm aware. We're both sworn to monstrous secrecy. So we're allowed to stay. I'm unaware of any other humans even being able to find this place-'

-But Uncle, what if-'

'-Oliver, I really must prepare myself for the evening. Man the fort for a few hours will you? I'll answer your irrelevant questions later.' Oscar starts to walk away from the desk. 

'But Uncle!'

'Farewell Oliver!'

Oscar leaves the room. Oliver sighs, resting his head upon his arm.  

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'And if you get shot, you dance until you die.' Wiggles finishes. 

Those newly familiar green eyes vanish behind a shutter.

Oliver's eyes fly wide. With The Party Nightmare showing and Pj The Human arriving, this is not proving to be his day.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Why does this always happen? Oliver can't have one day to himself, one free day. His life is constant stress and he's getting sick of this.

There's was fucking conga line going into the private room. The Balloons tried to keep him out, but latex is not match for him.

He's face to face with The Party Nightmare itself.

'Am I pretty Oliver?' The Nightmare asks again. Oliver stares into the deformation underneath the horse mask.

The party continues behind him. The Crazy Wizard is screaming. Red is shouting. Pj is having 'so much fun!'. Oliver resents the fact that the second this all started going wrong, Oliver was watching out for Pj. 

The Nightmare speaks.

'Am I pretty?'

There's a cough in Oliver's throat. He nods. He looks over at Red and Pj, both of them merrily dancing together. Do this for them. 

'Y-Y-Yes. You're pretty-'

'-Don't lie to me.' The Nightmare pouts. 'You want the human...'

Oliver's eyes fly even wider. 'What? No! I want you-'

'-The human will pay! The human will die! The human will-'

The Party Nightmare raises his gun. Fear jumps into Oliver, like it always does. He snatches up a stray disco ball, and raises it to the party beam. It reflects back and hits the Nightmare, who becomes incapacitated. 

Oliver takes a breath, and picks up the gun. The music swells and Oliver, always the drama queen, swirls before shooting The Nightmare.

'The human's not going anywhere.' Oliver grins back at Pj, who's rubbing his temples. The Nightmare explodes. 'Party over.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

In the aftermath, Pj falls asleep next to Red. After ensuring everyone's saftey, Oliver returns to him, and shakes him.

'You have to wake up.'

Pj groans.

Oliver winces, turning to the room full of monsters.

'I don't know if you're safe. Come on.'

Pj opens his eyes, and stares at Oliver. 'Wha?'

Oliver rolls his eyes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver puts Pj into his bedroom, half resting the fully grown human onto his shoulder. 

‘Can humans outside of the hotel not take care of themselves?’ Oliver asks. 

Pj shrugs in response. Oliver ends up laughing. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A newspaper is dropped onto the desk that Oliver was falling asleep at. Oliver jumps away from it.

'Look! Oliver! Your party was a smash-hit!' Oscar exclaims. 

Oliver frowns at the newspaper, and then at Oliver. 

'My party? But Uncle-'

'-Hush Oliver, you've done well-' His uncle pulls him in for a side hug. 'This will be amazing for business, and once I get back from the cosmic council-'

'-You're going to the cosmic council!'

Oscar pats Oliver on the shoulder. 'Just for a few days. You can hold fort for that amount of time.'

Oliver begins to panic. He needs to ask questions. How is Pj here? Will Octochef be okay on her own? Can Pj stay? Do any of the paintings need anything? Will Oliver be okay?

He sorts his priorities.

'Uncle, what if a human gets in? What would I do?'

Oscar stares at him, and snorts. The snort turns into a laugh.

'Another human? My boy, nobody can get in here that isn't fantastical. It's in the name.' Oscar wipes a tear, and his chuckling comes to a stop. 'It's this exact pre-thought that made me make this decision.'

Oliver's mind races through information. Pj's fantastical? But he looks so normal, he guesses he'll have to ask Pj.

Wait, a decision?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'Why does your badge say Oscar's Ass on it?' The irregular voice makes Oliver jump out of his skin, nearly knocking the bell off the desk. 'Woah! I didn't mean to startle you.'

Fucking, Pj The Human.

'No problem.'  Oscar just left. Oliver's in charge of the hotel. 'It's because I'm Oscar's Assistant.'

Pj frowns. 'Could they have just put Assistant on it?'

'Tell me about it.' Oscar whines.

Pj laughs.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'Last nights party was amazing.' Pj starts. He grins at Oliver. 'I haven't properly partied in months. Thanks for taking me back to my room after.'

_I didn't know if the others would think you were human and consume you._

Oliver smiles. 'Happy to help.' He frowns, resting his hands down on the wood of the reception desk. Oliver swears he spends most of his life here. 'Why haven't you partied in months?'

Pj smiles. 'I've been away from home, and alone. Haven't had a reason to.'

Oliver frowns. His home is the hotel. He doesn't remember when he left last. 'Why have you been away?' Oliver tries to retract the words. 'I'm sorry-'

'-No need. I'm away from home because...' Pj's smile falters. 'I wanted to explore the world. I’ve struggled with... myself? After uni, I packed up and just went. I’ve always I happened upon Red's taxi and he was chatty and brought me here. I figured, why not?' Pj’s smile returns, almost wistful. ‘I’m going home soon though.’

So Red brought him here? _Of course_ Red brought him here.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj leaves to explore the grounds, Oliver thinks he sees a camera in his hands. 

Just before Oliver is able to get bored, Red walks past. 

‘Red?’

The horned man turns to Oliver with a shit-eating grin. 

‘Oh hey Oliver! You would not believe the party I went to last night!’

Oliver shrugs. ‘I would, I was there. But I have a question.’

Red’s face lifts in surprise and then falls back into his permanent smile.

‘Ask away then!’

‘Is your taxi charmed against humans?’ 

Red splutters in shock. ‘Humans? As in not you or Oscar? Of course! Only fantastical beings can enter through my taxi, or The Forever Train Dummy!’ Red looks at his bare wrist. ‘Speaking of my taxi, look at the time! I gotta dash. Love you Oliver, stop worrying so much!’

With that, Red near vanishes. Oliver is left completely alone in the reception. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj walks past Oliver an hour later. 

‘Hey Oscar’s Ass-’

‘-You’re fantastical then?’ 

Oliver never was subtle. 

Pj frowns. ‘Thank you?’

‘I just didn’t get why you didn’t say. I could have worried a lot less.’

Pj carries on frowning. His eyes continue to pierce Oliver, there’s definitely something not human. Oliver forgot how boring he is compared to every other magical being. 

Pj twists his head at an angle. 

‘Maybe I didn’t know?’ Pj suggests. 

Oliver rolls his eyes. ‘Didn’t know you’re in a hotel full of monsters? And that you’re one of them? You’ve been living very blindly.’ Pj’s eyes widen. Oliver coughs. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on Octochef.’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj thinks it through. 

He’d thought last night was fancy dress, but a monster hotel? He’s joking.

It’s a trick right? A hoax?

‘There’s more to see than you’d believe, Pj.’

Pj whips his head around. The voice came from nowhere.

‘Who are you?’

To Pj’s side, curtains open. Pj jumps away in shock. 

‘Mo Nay.’ 

The painting is moving. 

The painting is talking.

The painting is alive?

Is Pj in a hotel for monsters?

Pj’s feet start running before he can even think. 

‘Oliver!’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'What do you mean there's no food?' Oliver complains.

Octochef laughs. 'Oscar gets the groceries for me Oliver. You'll have to do it if Oscar isn't here.'

Oliver grimaces over at the comedically large fridge. He sighs.

'Why? Why is it always me?' Oliver whines. 

_'Oliver!'_

Oliver frowns. Is that Pj?

He hears footsteps on the marble floor. He exchanges a look with Octochef.

'Looks like you're needed Oscar's Assistant' Octochef jokes.

Oliver rolls his eyes. 'I'll be back.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj has ran past monsters. Real monsters! Monsters are real. The was a fly, someone with horns, a man made out of glitter.

Pj's used to living in a bizarre world, but normally Pj is the one creating it! Not being dropped into it.

Monsters are real.

He needs to find Oliver. Oliver can explain everything.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj's feet carry him straight into Oliver, knocking them both over in the process.

'Ow! Fuck!-'

'-Is this real! Is this a prank? Are you a monster too? What's going on!' Pj demands. He's scrabbled up from the ground to his feet, his posture is wide, almost ready to punch. His breathing is fast and unevenly paced.

Oliver looks up at him from the ground, and an ache runs through his chest.

It must just be pain.

He scratches the back of his head, and slowly gets up.

'Is what real? You _insane_ son of a bitch.' Oliver snarks. He pouts at the end of his sentence.

'The monsters!' Pj shrieks.

Oliver analyzes his face. Is this a joke?

'You know monsters are real, you couldn't have gotten in otherwise. There's spells to stop that.'

Pj's eyes widen.

'Spells? Like witches and wizards! Is Hogwarts real too?'

Oliver frowns. 'What warts?'

Pj exasperatedly sighs. 'What's going on?' He starts. 'What makes Oscar's Hotel different? How was that painting talking to me?-'

'-Was the painting blue?'

Pj glares at him. 'I hardly see how that's relevant, but yes.'

Oliver chuckles. 'Mo Nay should know better than to get involved in stupid stuff like this.'

'OLIVER-'

Oliver puts his hands up in mock surrender. 'Okay...'

Oliver looks over Pj. Pj's clearly scared and distressed, but Oliver can't see any signs that he's tricking him.

This is genuine distress.

Pj doesn't know where he is.

Pj's human.

_Well shit._

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'So... I'm in a hotel for fantastical creatures.'

Oliver and Pj are sat on the floor.

'Yes.'

Pj nods to himself. He’s surprised to find that after the fear left, the amazement crawled in.

'And I shouldn't be here.'

Oliver snorts. 'No, you really fucking shouldn't.'

'But I got in anyway.'

'Yes, you miracle.' Oliver rolls his eyes.

Pj laughs bitterly. ‘I knew I should have gone home. What happens now?' Pj asks. He's not stupid, he doesn't think he's stupid.

Oliver looks over at the young man beside him. He has pleasant looks, a charming personality, and a great smile.

Of course he's dangerous.

'You leave.' Oliver states.

Pj's eyes widen, his mouth falling open. 'But-But I just found out about this!' Pj gestures to the entire world. 'And I have to have been able to get here for some reason! you have to let me stay. Or at least let me talk to someone that can tell me how I got here, maybe that will be able to help you make sure it never ever happens again.'

Oliver stares at him in disbelief.

He sighs, shaking his head.

'Fuck, you have a point.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj is following Oliver as they walk down the hallway to the kitchens.

'So I can stay?'

Oliver turns to him whilst walking forward.

'You can stay, free of charge, until Oscar gets back.'

Pj grins. 'You're letting me stay.'

Oliver groans. ‘You have to stay with me, I need to make sure you don’t try to blow up this place or something!’

Pj smirks. ‘Who says that’s a problem?’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'So he's human?' Octochef says.

Pj's eyes widen massively.

'You heard that?' Oliver asks.

Octochef pouts. 'I'm a keen listener.'

Oliver raises one eyebrow. 'You don't have any ears.'

Pj's still frozen still. This is the first creature he's seen up close since being told they're real.

Octochefs mouth falls open. 'How rude of you Oliver?'

'Are you an Octopus?' Pj asks. Oliver flinches, he sighs again. 

'Pj, firstly-'

'-Yes I am Sweetie. Now, you're lucky I'm lovely-' She nods at the human. '-Because if I wasn't, that wouldn't have gone done well.'

Pj grimaces. 'Sorry, it slipped out.'

Octochef nods. 'It's okay. Now, Oliver has to get my supplies-' She points a tentacle at Oliver, Oliver bats it away.

'-Piss off-'

She points at Pj. 'I'll keep you company and safe with me. You can ask me all the questions you'd like. '

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

When Oliver leaves the fridge, completely covered in frost with an armful of ingredients, he finds Octochef and Pj laughing.

Octochef waves a tentacle at Pj. 'Well Sweetheart, it looks like it's time for me to get cooking-'

'-Can I help?' Pj interrupts. Her eyebrows lift, she looks to Oliver for an answer. 

'Can he?' She asks.

Oliver stares between Pj's puppy eyes and Octochef's concerned ones.

Oliver sighs, he swears he's doing that more than he ever has done.

Like a resigned parent, 'Sure.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver huddles on the ground whilst watching Octochef command Pj around the kitchen. He finds himself laughing at the determination on Pj's face to prove himself.

Oliver is dripping off the frozen particles attached to him. He's shivering, and stops paying attention. During a lull in the cooking process, Pj notices this, runs over to Oliver, and places his jacket around his shoulders.

'Are you okay?' Pj asks.

Oliver frowns at him in shock. There's actual concern in his face, nobody is ever concerned for Oliver.

'I'm perfectly fine.' Oliver whispers.

Pj smiles, and nods. There's a quick pat to Oliver's shoulder, and Pj returns to helping the chef.

Oliver stares at Pj, and then at his shoulder. Slowly, he places a hand over the spot where Pj touched him.

What was that?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Later, Oliver walks slightly behind Pj. Pj knows where they are heading, and takes the hotel in with new eyes.

‘It makes a bunch of sense really’

Oliver sighs. ‘What does?’ 

Pj turns to face him, and Oliver is dazzled by the light in his eyes. 

‘That the myths are real.’ Pj says. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver walks Pj down a hallway.

'Where are we going?' Pj asks.

Oliver chuckles. 'You'll recognize it.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj looks at the door, and back at Oliver.

'This is my bedroom door.'

Oliver smiles. 'It is. Go in.'

Pj raises an eyebrow. 'I didn't think you felt that way about me Buddy.'

Oliver snorts, cheeks turning pink. 'No!' He giggles, Pj rolls his eyes. 'I just can't watch over you, and watch the hotel. You'll have to stay here until my work ends.'

Pj groans.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver listens to another complaint about the quality of slime. He averts another crisis, then another five.

Pj lays on top of the covers on his bed, and stares at the ceiling to pass time.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Days continue like this.

Pj stays in his room. Oliver comes to meet him in the evening. They eat dinner together, and laugh.

Pj sits on the ground next to his bed. Oliver is in his uniform opposite him.

'I would have thought being a prisoner in a monster hotel would have been more interesting than this.' Pj jokes.

Oliver laughs. 'You're not a prisoner.'

Pj raises an eyebrow. 'What am I then?'

Oliver thinks it over. He's been regarding Pj as his friend.

Oliver smiles. 'An enforced guest.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver is exhausted. When he reaches Pj's room to spend time with him, he almost instantly falls asleep on Pj's bed.

Pj doesn't wake him up.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver wakes up the next morning. He looks over at Pj, fast asleep next to him, fully clothed.

A ring of affection surrounds Oliver's heart.

What is this?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Over the next two days, Oliver visits Pj whenever he can. He gives Pj access to his full collection of books, he sneaks him in to visit Octochef.

Pj would go stir-crazy, but it's a different form of madness that's running through his veins.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver finds himself not even worrying about the hotel that much.

He worries about Pj. Would Pj be safe if the other residents found out? Is it right to keep him here? Why does Pj make him happier than he usually is?

It's getting late. The sun just went down. The hotel has become quiet.

What happens when Oscar comes home?

'Honey, Sweetie, Oliver, I can hear you think from here.'

Octochef's voice surprises Oliver. Oliver's eyebrows raise.

'And?'

'Pj's driving you up the wall.'

Oliver chuckles. 'I'm so far up the wall, I'm on the ceiling. What's new?'

Octochef grins. 'You've got a crush on that boy. Haven't you?'

Oliver splutters. 'A crush?!'

Octochef waves a tentacle, and begins to slide out the room.

'Be careful Oliver. Goodnight.'

And with that, she leaves.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver is late in seeing Pj. He runs up the stairs to shorten the time that they are apart. His heart screams to spend more time with him.

When he reaches Pj's bedroom, Pj is fast asleep.

Oliver doesn't wake him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver visits Pj first thing in the morning. Pj is grouchy, and rubs at his eyes.

'What are you doing today?' Pj asks.

'Clearing out Oscar's attic.' Oliver answers with a smile.

Pj stretches, eyes squeezing in the pleasurable moment. Oliver's smile grows.

'Can I help?' Pj asks.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver checks the hallways before they walk down them. It'll be fine.

Nobody finds them. There's no monsters in this part of the Hotel anyway. 

Oliver's laughing. Pj's smiling. Oliver picks up a box, groaning quietly whilst he does it.

'Oliver, let me give you a hand with that!'

With Pj's help, Oliver doesn't accidentally fall to his death. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver's running down the stairs, jumping down the last two.

'Pj! You need to get back to your room! Hurry up!'

Pj strolls down the stairs, smiling at his companion.

'Why the rush?'

Oliver splutters. 'It's Monay's birthday! And I forgot!'

Pj frowns. 'I thought Monay was a painting?'

Oliver raises an eyebrow. 'And the point is?'

Pj stares at Oliver. Oliver stares at Pj.

Pj is the first to laugh.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj collapses onto his bed at the end of the day. He's already met Monay, and we allowed to attend his birthday ceremony.

Pj kicks off his shoes, and stares at the ceiling.

He can't believe how fantastical it all is. The monsters, they're bright and colorful and strange. They're more human than any drab office worker Pj could imagine. Pj's been imaging things like this for years.

It's all real. It's beautiful.

Pj smiles. Oliver doesn't even see that it's weird. He's so desensitized.

And whenever Pj questions something Oliver gets this look and he-

Pj's eyes widen.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj can’t help but grin when he sees Oliver looking extremely stressed.

‘What’s up?’ Pj asks. 

Oliver sighs. ‘Money?’ Oliver begins pulling at his own hair. ‘Handling that is supposed to be my Uncle’s job, but-’

‘-But he’s not here.’ Pj concludes. He shrugs. Pj chuckles ‘It’s why I’m here.’

Oliver collapses onto Pj’s bed.

‘I’m glad you are, I love having you here, but-’

‘-But you’re still stressed.’ 

Pj falls back onto his bed. Both of them look sideways at eachother. 

‘Stop interrupting my-’

‘-No.’

Pj smiles again. Oliver chuckles. 

‘You’re hysterical.’ Oliver congratulates. Pj shrugs. 

‘What are you doing today?’

Pj wants to know when he’ll see him again, how long as he got to see, him, how long has he got until Oscar comes back. How long does he have to act on this?

The answer he gets is a groan. 

‘Billing the Hermit.’

Pj frowns. ‘What?’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj’s skeptical. 

‘You need me to pull you back up, if you go too far?’

Oliver fastens the knot around his waist. 

‘It’s be fine.’ Oliver turns and smiles at him, Pj’s chest tightens. Oliver pokes one of Pj’s hands. ‘Just need to use those, which Mannie doesn’t have.’

‘Because Mannie is a Praying Mantis?’

Oliver frowns. ‘A what?’

Pj rolls his eyes. ‘Never mind.’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The rope just slips out of Pj’s hands.

Shit. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver’s losing the plot. Where is he? What has she done? She seems so...nice?

‘You have to kill her.’ The other side of Oliver demands.

‘Kill who?’

The random voice startles him.

Oliver turns. The stranger is coughing out water. 

Hermie turns, and grins. ‘Aloha! You’re not dead!’

‘As far as I know...’ Pj scratches at his head; thoughts seem clogged there, he isn’t empty, he’s full.  One thought remains, and colours his emotions in. ‘I have to save Oliver...’ Pj frowns. ‘Who’s Oliver?’

Oliver’s eyes wide. ‘I am.’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver looks at the skittish Hermie. The confused Pj. His other side disappears. He knows what he has to do. 

‘We have to get out of here.’

Pj frowns. ‘Here seems super nice though.’

Oliver feels something, he needs to keep Pj safe. And Hermie too he guesses.

‘We have to...It’s...It’s’

What is it?

Oliver’s mind freezes. 

‘THE FOUNTAIN OF FORGETFULNESS.’ Oliver shouts. Pj blinks twice. 

‘The whata of the what?’

‘Don’t you see?’ Oliver laughs. He turns to Hermie. ‘That’s why we’re like this. We have to go!’

‘Forgetfulness?’ Hermie asks. She stops smiling. ‘I don’t like forgetting.’ 

Oliver grins. ‘If you trust me, we won’t have to anymore.’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver, Pj and Hermie stand next to the fountain. Memories fly back. 

Oliver throws a hand onto his face. ‘Bill, Hermie.’

‘Bill?’ Hermie asks. ‘Oh, I don’t like bills.’ She grins, and starts running. ‘Nevermind. Bye!’

‘Wait!’

Oliver and Pj hear a splash. 

Oliver groans. 

Pj bites his lip, he taps on Oliver’s shoulder. 

‘Sorry.’ Pj admits. 

Oliver remembers. ‘Why did you let go?’

‘It was a very accidental accident.’ Pj cringes. He turns to face Oliver. 

‘What? Pj?’

Pj bites his lip, reaches out, and pulls Oliver in for a hug. His fear at having dropped him popping away. 

‘I’m sorry.’ Pj repeats. 

Oliver is frozen in the hug. He’s not had one of these in years. It’s safe, and reassuring, and warm. He follows instinct, and squeezes back.

‘It’s okay.’

Pj digs his face into Oliver’s neck. 

‘I nearly lost you.’ 

Oliver’s eyes widen. He looks down at Pj’s hair. 

He swallows. He can see the water dripping off them and onto the floor. 

He pats his back. 

‘You never will.’ 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pj hugs him again before returning to his bedroom. 

After that hotel door closes, Pj sighs out the day. 

Oliver’s grin grows.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver doesn’t stop smiling all morning. Pj tried save him, he was worried about him. 

Oliver’s never had anybody be worried about him. 

It’s nice. It’s nice to have someone that cares. He’d never known that having somebody to take care of would be this fulfilling, but he guesses that the fulfilling part is how they take care of each other.

Oliver’s smile grows again. He didn’t know that having a person could be this good. He wouldn’t have even debated making Pj stay. He would have asked Pj to stay forever. 

Maybe he will. 

‘Oliver!’

Oliver was staring at his own hand. He snaps his eyes up and onto his uncle. 

‘Oscar?’ 

Oscar grins. ‘Oliver! Trust everything’s in top shape now?’

Oliver‘s world melts. Oscar’s back. Pj doesn’t have to stay anymore. Pj’s going to leave. Oscar’s going to kick out the human after interrogating him. Pj’s in danger, and it’s all Oliver’s fault. 

Finally, Oliver chokes out words.

‘You’re not meant to be back yet.’

Oscar frowns. ‘I got a distress all from you a few days ago. I thought I’d check on you...when I had the time. I will have to return to the cosmic council.’ Oscar places his hand on the reception desk. Oscar smiles, and doesn’t know how much his nephew wants to kill him. ‘What happened?’

And with that, Oliver’s world collapses.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

‘A HUMAN?’

‘-Uncle please. He’s kind. He’d never tell a soul-’

‘-He won’t get the chance too!’ Oscar turns to Oliver with a conviction Oliver’s never witnessed. ‘He cannot tell humans about this place. Our clientele will leave! It’s bad for business!’

‘-He won’t Uncle!-’

‘It’s against secrecy laws! The cosmic council will have my neck!’

Oliver’s breathing becomes heavier under his Uncle’s gaze.

‘I can’t do anything about it.’ Oliver whispers. ‘He knows everything.’ 

Oscar stares at the boy. He swallows, able to recognize the seed of feelings in him. But Oliver made a promise when he joined the hotel.

Oscar looks over at the doors to the gardens. 

‘Then make him forget.’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

_Pj,_

_Meet me by the fountain tonight. Wait ‘til it’s quiet. Please._

_Oliver x_

Pj grins as he reads the note that’s slipped under his door. 

After the walk to his own bedroom, Oliver slams the door, slides down it, and begins to weep.

At least Pj gets to go home. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Oliver feels so weak. He can’t believe he feels like this. He can’t believe what he has to do. 

But Oscar is right, what Pj would have here is no life. Oliver would know. 

Oliver looks over at Pj, standing by the fountain of forgetfulness. Oliver bites his lip, and holds back tears.

‘You’re fantastical.’ Oliver says. Pj jumps, whipping his head around. Upon seeing Oliver, he smiles. 

‘No, I’m not.’ Pj jokes. 

Oliver walks over to him, until he’s stood a footstep away. 

‘Yeah, you are.’ Oliver repeats. ‘You’re so fantastical. So fantastic I can’t breathe. So fantastic that sometimes when you speak, the world stops spinning to listen.’ Oliver blinks, and controls himself. 

_So fantastic that I have to let you go. I have to let you go home._

Pj smiles. He closes the gap between them, inches from Oliver’s face. Oliver’s hand is inches from the water in the fountain.

‘You’re brilliant too. Don’t forget that.’

Pj slips a hand onto Oliver’s jaw, and kisses him. All of Oliver’s feelings swell, he’s never been kissed before. This feels amazing, like he’s floating. Oliver never was someone that cared about people, but he cares. He cares so much. 

He pushes back, copying Pj’s movements. He whispers mantras in his head. He tells Pj that he loves him without words.

He dips his finger into the fountain, he pulls away from Pj and rests their foreheads together. 

Cupping Pj’s face, he brushes his finger along Pj’s lips. He watches Pj lick them. 

He catches Pj when he collapses into his arms. Whispering to him, he strokes back Pj’s hair, collects more of the fountain water and makes him drink. 

‘I’m so sorry. You won’t remember any of this.’ 

A sob gathers in his chest and escapes, cracking into the quiet.

‘You’re going home. It’s the right thing to do. I’m so fucking sorry.’ 

He kisses his forehead for the last time. 

‘I’m sorry.’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Years later, Pj sits at his desk. He just got off the phone, he’s been commissioned for a short film.

Grinning, he knows he can make his dream a reality. He has the cast. The funds, the team. It’s perfect. 

He opens up a new idea notebook, and writes in italics.

_‘Oscar’s Hotel’_

 

**Author's Note:**

> This work was prompted on tumblr and based on a GIF set made by the brilliant stfnys.  
> [http://kickthestickz-stuff.tumblr.com/post/132102927322/christickz-oscars-hotel-au-oliver-finds">the GIF set can be found here](url)
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked it xx


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